Abduction Of a Queen
by PrincessBlonde
Summary: Follow Persephone, the daughter of Zeus and Demeter as she journeys through rage and hate before finding love in the fierce god of the dead Hades.
1. Prolouge

Abduction of a Queen

Prologue- A Tiny Sapling

A tiny seed in the womb of mother Earth, the delicate darkness and the comfortable soil, would ultimately lead a tiny sapling in the soil, would lead to a spring, and would lead to Persephone.

He looked at her, as she ran her hand over the furry bird, tossing back her hair, listening to its chattering. He walked towards her, head held high and electric blue eyes full of pride as if he owned the whole earth and he did too. He was Zeus, the king of gods and the lord of the sky.

He touched her shoulder and she turned, grey meeting blue. She smiled at him before bowing.

"Lord Zeus," she said, her armor glinting in Apollo's light.

"Athena, how many times have I told you that alone, we are friends and friends do not call each other by, titles such as Lord and Lady," he smiled and answered. In his head however all he could think about was how pretty she looked and how she would love to tower over her as he proves to her that men are wiser than women and women are meant to be servants and nothing else. The wait was killing him and patience necessarily was not his strong suit. Maybe it would really be better if he enjoyed with some other goddess while trying to win her heart but his fellow gods and goddesses love to talk about each other and he would rather not lose the chance to show her where she belongs and also make her body his and his alone.

"Sure Zeus," she agreed. He had been meeting her for quite some time. She was the goddess of wisdom and battle strategy, lady of owls and the warrior goddess. The crafty Titan Prometheus as shaped her into life by mud and clay and as much as Zeus hated that Titan for his cockiness and for giving fire to men, he liked this creation, daughter of his. She was indeed a sight for sore eyes and he felt like she could be more but unfortunately the clothes she wore were not like his daughter Aphrodite's, they did not reveal much and this was such a kill joy for Zeus, which he could not even describe.

Athena knew what Zeus wanted from her; or rather she thought she had an idea. He wanted that from nearly every goddess on Olympus. She tried to avoid him but he always found her but she knew he would never be able to take advantage of her. She would play along and leave him when the time is right and not before. She saw as his eyes glassed over and began to walk away disgusted.

"Lord," a hefty voice interrupted his thoughts and looked up annoyed to see his sister and wife, the Queen of heavens and goddess of marriage, Hera standing before him and saw Athena walking away, shaking her head. No doubt Hera had said something to her about talking to Zeus. What a pain she was! Always marriage this, sacred vows that and she was the reason all his lady lovers died painful deaths and his demigod sons and daughters suffered, not to mention the immortal ones, he thought as he looked at her face, which was turned down into a smile as usual. What he had seen in her, he had no idea, and he truly hated her and regarded her as the biggest mistake in his immortal life. Marriage for him was the same as self inflicted pain.

"Yes?" he asked shortly, lightning flashing overhead and she shivered, with anger and fear before bowing and meekly walking away, leaving him to his thoughts and plans of how to win over the daughter of Prometheus.

Hera looked back and saw her husband deep in thought, as she walked away. He had always been so short with her, when he was her younger brother and now when he was her Lord. She had only married him because he was the king of gods and nothing else but she found extreme joy in killing those lovers of his and torturing his children, except for Ares, her son. But this stupid Athena was rivaling him now. How she hated her! And her other son Hephaestus was so ugly that she wanted to die looking at him or kill him. If only he had dies from that fall, as a baby! Then there was that slut of a daughter of his, always trying to lure her son in, Hera totally believed that Aphrodite had inherited being a slut from her mother Diane. Hermes, was another of his children, the son of Maia, he was always so full of himself, flying with those silly shoes of his and then there were Leto's twins, those wild archers Apollo and Artemies. How she hated these unwanted addition to her family!

Days passed and turned into months as Zeus slowly put his plan to action, he met Athena more often than usual, gave her ideas and opinions value and acted friendly around her. He saw how her eyes glinted when he came and how she relaxed around him. He enjoyed the way she laughed and the way she seemed deep in thought. He knew she did not think of him as her friend yet, she was wise. Wise and careful, she always watched the ground before she walked but he had done his share of waiting and now he just wanted the armor off her.

He got up from his throne and walked towards the goddess as she sparred with his son Ares. They were evenly matched but he was reckless while she was nimble and fatal with her blows. He watched them from a distance, her warrior grey eyes shining like darkened skies on stormy days, while beads of sweat rolled down her forehead like tiny drops of rain. He waited as the two sparred, neither winning nor losing. They kept on fighting and their blades clanged caked with dried ichor. He wanted his son Ares to surrender already!

But no, he kept on enraging her, fighting until _she _came up. The goddess of love, dressed in pink, beauty radiating from her face and Zeus's daughter- Aphrodite. Zeus fought a laugh as he saw the change in Ares' demur. He became even more energetic and tried to show off to the goddess until finally Athena bored of seeing the pair of them stare at each other turned to where he was and walked there. He knew that she had an idea who was here but he smiled, she had no idea why was he here.

He caught her wrist and she bowed and walked past him, and she looked up at him with large eyes. He knew that this was the moment and slowly started inching forward towards her lips until she stepped back. She knew it was foolish to say no to the king of heavens but she had inherited Prometheus's stubbornness.

"Lord?" she asked her voice hard and her eyes boring into his.

"Athena, oh Athena," he said but before he could continue and ask for permission to court her, he was stunned by a crisp slap. She had dared slap him!

"Stay away from me, Lord," she growled, spitting out the last word like a curse and walking away. As he stood there, he pondered over whom she could prefer over him. Ares? No. She hated him, they were bitter rivals. Apollo? No. Hermes maybe? No and then there was his brother, Poseidon. Could it be possible that she liked him? No, she despised him, so then who could it be?

Zeus's anger flared as he realized that it was no one. She liked no one and yet rejected him, as if he was not good enough for her. "Foolish goddess, she would pay for this," he thought as walked back to his quarters but first, he decided that he had to show her what she had lost. Nike might stand in her hand but this time, he thought, she had lost.

He knew what he had to do. He had to show her that even the goddess who abhorred the touch of men, welcomed his and he knew the only goddess who would fit his requirements was none other than the earth goddess, his annoying sister, Demeter.

The next few months were spent around Demeter, he hated her and her look of disapproval but he was driven by a burning need for revenge and called Demeter sweet names, made the rains come when she wanted and visited those dirty fields with her. He put up with Hera's bickering and even visited the Earth as a human. He worked hard and played with his pride; just for the sake of showing Athena she was wrong. Finally his hard work paid off and soon Demeter was parading around Olympus with his daughter, their new- born in her arms. Their daughter, Persephone. However all Zeus had was loss for after Persephone's birth, if anything, Athena looked at him with more disgust than ever. He cursed himself over and over again. This child was not something he had wanted but thought that it could be used to show Athena how desirable he was but she made a fool out of him when she took her oath for eternal virginity the day Persephone was born. She was now untouchable and not even he would dare risk the pain the Styx would give him if he forcefully touched a virgin goddess but he would make sure that she paid for this over and over again. He looked at Demeter who he knew was secretly hoping to be the Queen of Olympus but his time with Hera had shown him that one wife was enough. He never would want another one and went out of his way to avoid Demeter. He even banned Persephone to be in his presence till he himself wished. He knew somewhere he was not right but his anger and lust clouded his eyes. He hated Athena and Demeter with a passion but could do nothing except watch as Demeter's tiny daughter was blesses by many gods and goddesses.

The ones that stuck out however were the ones on which Demeter created a scene like Hera's who wished Persephone a happy married life and Zeus knew she had done it for revenge and when Hestia which Persephone a happy hearth. Demeter at one point had nearly taken the child but Athena stopped her, blessing the child with wisdom and Zeus knew that Athena is always going to remind him of his mistakes with Demeter. She for sure would never use people but she would also go out of her way to infuriate him and the unfortunate thing was unlike other gods, her plans never ever fail.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1- A Caged Bird

I sit in the gardens and look at the sunset, trying hard not to get mud on my pristine white dress. I look around and sigh; I am all alone except for my flowers. I, the goddess of Spring Time and renewed life, Persephone, am all alone, except for my mother's appointed "friends".

"Kore," her voice pulls me out of my musing and I stand up, shaking with fear on the inside. Her voice has that dark, dangerous quality to it, which means that my day is going to get worse. I never understand what I did wrong to make her like this; everyone says she was real sweet before I came along. Till this day I know for a fact that I have never spoken back or refused to do anything that asks me to do. I behave like she wants me to, eat what she gives me without complaint and do what she asks. However, no matter what, this always happens. I walk inside and see my mother, standing there, in a royal robe which signifies her status as the goddess of the earth, wheat weaved into her hair and a serpent coiled near her, hissing at me, my eye following it as it slithers away before I turn to face her. Twenty four years of abuse and I have nearly lost all my respect for her. Do not get me wrong, I love her, though I have no idea why but I think it is because she is my mother and because without her, I would not even be here. She made me into what I am, both the good and the bad but she never tries to understand me. She always resorts to violence but that makes me stiff, like a flower being hit by the wind again and again, if only she tried to tell me what to do without lashing out for no reason, if only she loved me them I would even steal her the sky! Not that I can refuse anything she wants but still. I want to break free of her but just like a flower has its roots in the Earth; I too am nothing without her. She has made sure of that.

I love you and am eternally grateful to you, even though I do not know why but I hate you a lot too, not as much as I love you but near enough. There is a very fine line between love and hate Mother, please do not try to tip me over the edge. I hate you for breaking me, for trying to push me to the edge and for hurting me. For killing me on the inside and making me a shell of what I can be. I imagine saying all these things to her and bite my tongue, to hold in both the snarls and the whimpers as she kicks and punches me, slapping me where ever she can find space. I know it is useless to fight back or even attempt to defend, she will storm to Olympus and complain o my half-sister and only real friend Artemies, making up some story about how she had come from blessing the fields and I had randomly started to say unbelievable things to her and when she _by mistake _had lashed out on me, I hit her. If defending me is hitting her, then I wonder what hitting her in reality is. Or, even better, what would she call what she does to me.

The pain subsides and then she suddenly shifts into motherly mode, begging for forgiveness and try as hard as I might I always fall for it. I do not know why but I know it will always happen because she is my mother and no matter what I will always love her, she will always be my sanctuary and the one I turn when I am in pain.

"Oh, Kore, I am so sorry darling. I was just so frustrated and I did not… I am so sorry baby," she says and we both cry and to anyone, we would seem normal by the time we get up but the throbbing pain in my back says something else. I fall on to my bed and fall asleep. I dream that I am standing in Olympus and meeting everyone- Apollo, Ares, Lady Athena and Artemis. My parents walk to me, their eyes full of love and that is when I wake up. I know everyone in Olympus, even though I have never been out of this palace since I turned three. Apart from Artemis, I have not even seen anyone since then. Seeing her now and then makes me happy and mother cannot keep us apart because our duties as goddesses are similar. She is the lady of wild places and I am the goddess of spring, the wild places being our domain.

Mother, I know for one hates father, he left her after I was born and though I know my father is Zeus, I have no idea whether he knows how I live each day. I could be dead and he will have no idea. How I wish my life was normal, even by godly standards! Being human seems much better than living this hellish life.

"Kore," she calls and describes in detail that she is now going to go and bless the fields while I stay in my room and go nowhere, before disappearing and leaving behind the smell of mud and wet sand. Looking at me in the hidden mirror I have, I sigh. All I am allowed to wear are these white dresses and long robes and as much as I lobe white, colours attract me too. My hair always lies in a simple bun, weaved with tiny poppies and lilies. Looking at myself, I see a ten year old girl, not a twenty four year goddess.

I want to go out and bask in Apollo's warmth and sing to the birds. I want to grow flowers alone, not with my mother breathing down my neck and watching me as I talk to my half-sister. I want to be called by my names at times, not always the virgin.

I want to sing with the birds and dance in the showers of rain but all I get is looking longingly outside my window.


	3. Chapter 2- Breaking Free

I tuned twenty five a month ago, reaching the official age when gods or goddesses embrace their duties. Since then, however, I can feel my power depleting, I can feel my realm wreaking and I do not know what to do. Everyone time I tell Mother, she just glares and says that it is my imagination and that I look fine to her, but I am not. These robes now hang on me, like they would on a skeleton and my hair is becoming like branches and, standing on my own two feet, seems like a task, at times. I have not seen Artemies in forever and mother has made sure that all I am always in her line of vision. I hate it, it hurts a lot and worse than that, it hurts to see the flowers gradually losing their beautiful colours. I wonder if this is how it feels to die or if it is simply the feeling of being caged and lonely. Of being alone. Is this what the daughter of Atlas, the one whose name I keep forgetting feels or does she feels worse? At least I am not cursed. Maybe it is just me I think before I close my eyes and fall into the restless realm of Morpheus. I dream of deep dark pools of eyes and raised petals for lips with long flowing hair like the midnight sky. I turn as she calls me mother and look into the smiling face of my daughter before _she _shakes me awake and I am back into the pitiful stage of near-death.

The source of all this is visible too, the souls of those who have died, moan outside my window, asking for life, asking for help, but there is nothing I can do, one who cannot save herself, how can she save others?

Today mother has gone out, to bless the fields again and she left me because I had fallen down, when she had pulled me out of bed. She gave me some nectar and cereal, and left after calling her three her three faithful nymphs or as I like to say her tails. Fortunately, those lazy limbs have not made an appearance yet. Taking my chance, I slowly make my way outside, on all fours. I immediately feel more alive in my meadow of flowers but now I want to put as much distance between myself and these four walls as possible. I look at the flowers and will myself to become a part of the darkest of them, before opening my eyes in my secret place. I know I should have done it long ago but being near my mother fills me with dread and saps my strength. It is not far from home, but strangely mother does not know of it. As I walk around I spot a new flower towards the end of the meadow. Feeling uncertain and scared because this is the first time, I have been out for so long, alone, and I want to run back but cannot find it in myself to turn back, fear and excitement stop me from going back. And a bit of disgust too.

Turning around I see the flower; it is white with a pearl like drop, of pure black. Comforting and daunting at the same time. The black washes over me like a sea and I feel at peace, the comfort and security I feel here, draws me forward and the pull ends where the flower starts. Suddenly, what I need to do is clear, these souls want life, but they are dead and none but Lord Hades can comfort and control the dead. However their lives are a part of my duty too and this makes me view myself in a new light. I pull up the flower, and a trench opens, for me to step into. I can still turn back and live like my mother wants me to, in hiding or I can face myself. The choice lies with me and the answer is in my soul. I take a hesitant step forward and allow the chasm to pull me in, feeling just the sensation of free falling for a while and then landing on a rock, like a cat, in the middle of a rushing river- The Styx.

Looking up, I can see a bit of star-light. How long did the fall take?

"I am the Queen of The Dead, The Goddess of life, I am Persephone," I declare and my voice floats, until all those moaning souls and bowed in front of me.

The river water washes over them and suddenly I feel stronger. Stronger and darker a voice in my head chimes.

I follow the course of the river, never quite stepping into till I reach huge black doors, which open themselves to me. I walk forward, until I am face to face, with of the most terrifying gods- Lord Hades.

"Lord Hades," I say but my voice comes out like a squeak. He looks up and I feel myself getting lost into the mysterious pools of black eyes, as he stares at me, until I am forced to look away.

"Yes, child?" he asks. The words seem nice enough but he tones clearly suggests, his annoyance and I seem to shrink ten feet under the gaze.

"I am no child, Lord; I am the Queen of the Underworld, Persephone."

"Queen of the Underworld?" he thunders angry and his meaning gaze send shivers down my spine.

"Did I just hear you, call yourself the Queen of my realm?" he asked and his voice shook the walls around us. I could feel the earthquake waves traveling up, radiating from his anger.

"Yes, Lord," I answered but all I wanted to do was sink into the womb of the Earth. The irony was such, that I could not stifle my laughter.

"What is so funny, Lady Persephone?" he boomed again and my laughter stopped abruptly. He looked like all he wanted to do was kill me and watch as I wither to nothing in Tartars and hear my pleas for help. Disquieting, as it was, this nature of his, intrigued me. I wonder what had happened to make him so sadistic.

"Nothing, Lord," I answered, finally finding my voice. I hoped to come out as meek and timid, so that he might let me go but unfortunately I came out as strong. I looked down, trying to pass off as weak and timid, so that I could run away, like the coward I am but I could feel his gaze boring into my skull, compelling me to look up at him.

"Why do you say you are the Queen of my realm Lady?" he asked, his face stern but his eyes betrayed him, they were not guarded but looked softer than when I had first seen them, seconds ago.

"I asked why you claim to be the Queen of my realm?" he asked, and I reluctantly tore my gaze away from him.

"Lord, these spirits came to me for help and I am the goddess of Life and spring. Death is like the winter of life, and after life is spring. Thus it is my duty to ease these souls into after their after life," I said, coming off as head strong and independent. Mother, would have a shock if she heard me now or she would release her serpents on me. The thought made me shiver so badly, that I wanted to hide in this cool darkness forever but reluctantly, began to walk back. I could feel his gaze boring into me and looked back once to shoot him a smile, before I took the long ascend to my own hell.


	4. Chapter 3- Dark friends

Chapter 3- Dark Friends

It has been since that day, when I experienced freedom and since then I have been kept under harsher security and the beatings have become more frequent.

However, today I am greeted by a strange sight. A man who looked like Hades, thinking of him made my heart race, the cool darkness, the freedom and the broken man in front of me, came back to me, but unlike Hades this man gave off waves of arrogance and pride and his yes like mine, were electric blue and his tunic was deep blue like a stormy sky.

"Persephone," he called and I look around to see my mother sulking in the corner, before walking onwards to her,

"Mother, what happened?"

"And here I thought that you would come running to embrace your father. I am disappointed in you Persephone," the man says, and my heart sinks. This is Zeus, the King of Gods and then I look at my mother and her angry eyes make me want to crawl in a hole and die. I am angry at him for never being there, I mean he could at least take off a day in the last twenty four years to see me but I understand him and am sad that I have disappointed him. It might have all gone the way I wanted my first meeting with my father to go, had he not opened his mouth just then.

"Persephone, I have decided your marriage, he is a nice god and I am sure you will love being his queen."

He might as well have told me, I was human and that I was not their daughter. I know I should be bowing meekly and asking my mother to support me but I was enraged.

"How dare you, Father?" I spit out the last word at him.

"Per…" he tries to reason but I am on the roll.

"How dare you, tell me that I am to be married? How dare you say I disappoint you? Here I was happy, that I get to see my father for the first time _ever_ and then you say you want me to be married. Where were you all these years? Where were you when she," I point at my mother "beat me or when I was starved, where were you when I escaped to the _Underworld?" _ I suddenly stop realizing what I have said but I run, run to my secret place, away from the mother who called me "Kore" and the father who is using me. I ran to where I had found the Narrsicus and pull my knees up to my chest and cry, I wail and sob. I tear at my hair and wish that I can die, can escape it all, when I fee; it, the presence of another god. I look up and my heart stops. Hades looks at me and slowly takes a seat next to me in the meadow and surprisingly comforts me. I stiffen when he wraps his arms around me, but soon loosen up. I know mother would kill me if she comes to know, but I am beyond the point of caring at the moment. And what she does not know cannot kill her can it? It can kill you, a small tiny voice whispers in the back but his voice blocks everything out.

"Lady Persephone, what is wrong?" he asks, unsure.

"My...My mother and father..," I sniff and add "Father wants me to get married," I stop, when I feel Hades suddenly stiffen and then he pulled away wrapping his arms around himself. I immediately missed his warmth but continued any way.

"He came all of a sudden, after ignoring for so many, not helping or appearing when I screamed for him, when my mother beat me or when she locked me in a room for days. Now he comes and says "Persephone, I want you to get married" and accepts me to agree. Who is he to tell me what to do? And then there is mother, she hits me and starves me and tries to kill my powers. How dare they tell me what do to?" I yell outraged.

Hades did not say anything for the longest time and I just stared at the grass at my feet, growing roses and violets and poppies ashamed by my sudden outburst.

_"Now he will hate me forever_," I thought, as I wiped my face with the back of my hand and got up to leave, only to be stopped by a hand clutching mine.

"Persephone, it is not your fault, all of this, which is happening to you, is only Demeter and Zeus's fault. Come with me, I will talk to them." His voice sounding so caring, no one had spoken to me like that in a long time.

"No Lord Hades, this you have done for me this is enough. I cannot be a burden to you. Thank you," replying I being to walk away but he manages to fall in stride with me. I really cannot understand this man; he insults me, yells at me and then helps me as if we are best friends or something. I look up and wince at Apollo, savoring his brotherly warmth, dreading the next moments of my life.

I feel like I was breaking inside, the mother I love hates me, my father does not care enough to show and when he does, all he has on mind is how he will benefit from my marriage. I hate them and this breaks me over and over again, I feel guilty that I can think about my parents like this, but I cannot help it. Hades put his hand on my cheek, and I follow it- my fingertips touching something wet. I force myself to take the next step, hoping to leave him behind, hoping to save myself from my mother's wrath.

"Kore, my dear, there you are," I heard my mother before I saw her and laughed at her voice. She was happy, of course I had disregarded her biggest enemy- the man who had ditched her and refused a marriage, which I know she thinks is my cue to remain an eternal virgin like my sister Artemis but she will never be concerned or worried about me. She will force me to take the oath no matter what, no matter what I, Persephone, want.

I cried as she embraced me, not for my childhood, as she thought but for my life as I want it. My father had gone and I am sure he never wants to see me ever again. I look back to see Hades is gone and I cannot help but sigh in relief. Mother would have slain me, if she had seen with a man, let alone one of her dear brothers.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4- Flying High

My mother kept me under lock and key from then on. "I am worried, you Father might steal you from me, Kore," she will say and wipe her tears and lock me up. This killes me but I bore it, partly due to Hades, who visited me in secret, when Mother locked me up. I knew it was wrong, but I wanted a friend who I knew would not rant to my mother. I felt broken, and wanted someone to hug me, I wanted to cry and laugh as I wished, wanted to have someone who listened to weak without judging me, who did not call me pretty because I was my mothers' daughter but because they knew who I was, what I had gone through and how broken I was. I wanted someone who could look past the daughter of Demeter, the goddess of life, and see the sweet, loving and scared girl underneath and Hades did all that. He is my only real friend and I am grateful for that.

Right now I am sitting, my head in his lap and his on my shoulder. He slowly caressed my hair and at these moments he looks so different from the Lord of the Dead that it is easy to forget who he is, who we are and just pretend we were two humans spending time together.

The silence engulfs me, but it is not awkward, it is like a blanket providing warmth until he decides to break it.

"Persephone," his voice floats like shadows and I look up at him, immediately getting confused in those eyes. The black was like a river, inviting and new. I feel myself leaning forward, and know he is too. "It is wrong," I chide myself but it did not feel so. I keep my eyes on hands as our lips meet. At first we are just kissing but then I feel him smile, and my mouth as always is ten steps ahead of my brain.

"What is so funny, lord?" I ask, looking into his eyes.

"Nothing, nothing is wrong... it it is just… I um…" he stammered and I fought a laugh. The Lord of The Dead, the mysterious Hades, the most fierce and hated God, was stammering due to a minor goddess like me.

"Persephone, you have no idea, how long have I waited for this, since I comforted you in the glade, actually," he confessed and I looked down my cheeks gaining colour.

The next few months flew by like this, me and Hades together, talking, laughing and kissing. It was all going fine until that one day, when my mother allowed me to go out. It had been two years since I had last stepped outside and the joy was enough to kill me. I walked around, wandering, savoring the warmth and the feeling of being able to breathe freely, when suddenly the Earth burst open. I knew mother had gone out, to bless some fields in a far away country but still seeing Hades there made me uneasy, for the first time. He looked different, as if someone had sucked the very life out of him. He roughly grabbed my hand and pulled me on his chariot and I cried, my flowers falling down my lap. I cried as he pulled me with him into the depths of the Earth.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – Betrayal

"I thought you loved me, I am so wrong, I should have never trusted you, you coward," I yelled as he locked me up and went somewhere without a back ward glance. I kept on calling him names and words, long after he had gone.

Now, all I feel is emptiness, I cry because that is all I can do. I wrap my arms around myself and sob. I had trusted him, loved him but I guess this is my fate, I am never meant to love, everyone I love betrays me. I do not why am I so important, why do they treat me like a prize? I wish I could die, I wish for pain, anything that would take away this emptiness. It felt as if the whole world was collapsing on me. I had thought he was my friend but here he is taking my freedom away before I even had it. I love him but I am not so sure that he loves me anymore, may all he did and said was a lie, just like everything else he does. People do not judge him wrongly, I am the fool who refused to believe them, mother was right, and all I am is a selfish coward who deserves to be locked up, to die.

I clutch and claw at myself but his "appointed maids" for me keep me from harming myself. I do not bother with their names or help; they are just like those nymphs, appointed to reign me in.

I walk around when he lets me, looking at the spirits of the dead but all I feel is guilt and anger. I want to burn and slash and destroy, anyone or anything that comes in my path. I have long given up wearing my pure white dresses; they make me too radiant, too noticeable. This dark place has already sucked the life out of me, but the colours are all I have left and I am not going to let that creep, that liar, cheater, steal them from me. I wear dresses of red and black and purple and blue and braid my hair with flowers, just to show him, that I still care. I have started my own garden here, I hate the respect everyone gives me but I use it, like he used me.

I am walking around looking at things, in a unfamiliar corridor when suddenly my heart stops in my chest. I can feel it, her hands, beating me drawing blood and I can feel my deepest darkest fears coming out, dancing in front of my eyes, I can see him, forcing me and killing me and I scream and wither in pain, the tears tracking down my face, I call for help, and for Hades. I am breaking apart, opening like a shell, when suddenly it is all gone; suddenly he is there, lifting me up.

When I wake up, I see myself in a familiar room, my room, in the underworld. I remember the gentle sway, of him carrying me and comforting him, when he comes up and sits next to me. I immediately shrink back and away.

"Persephone, I am so sorry, please forgive me, I never meant to, I cannot believe it, I will never force you to do anything, and you do not want to do. I swear it on the Styx," and thunder booms outside before he continues, "I cannot believe you think of me like that. I am so sorry, I was wearing my Helm of Darkness and you came too near, I heard your cries and came running but I forgot to remove it I am so sorry."

I am stunned, he caused me that much pain, and I now hate him with a new found passion. "You caused me that pain?" I ask my voice low and dangerous. The Hades I knew would have been proud.

"I am sorry Persephone, I did not do it on purpose, I was judging the souls in Tartarus and you came too close. I am so sorry," he says his words dripping with guilt and sincerity.

"It is alright, you did not mean it, but Hades I cannot stop my fears, if you can kidnap and forcefully bring me into realm, from my realm, then you can do anything here in your realm and I do not even think you would feel ashamed about your actions."

My words, it seemed pierce him physically and tears glisten in his eyes.

"Persephone, do you know what day it was when I brought you here? It was the day when all hunters of Artemies take an oath to remain eternal virgins," he informs me and the colour drains my face. I know what my mother had planned for that day; she had been planning it since the second I was born.

"Aphrodite and Hermes informed me that Artemies was planning to make you swear it on the Styx because Demeter knew that you did not want it and you can never break an oath on the Styx," he says conforming my worst fears. I have been so wrong; he had not taken away my freedom before it began, he had saved him and I had hated him for it.

"Oh, Hades, I cannot even tell you how sorry I am, you saved me and what did I do? Oh Zeus, what did I do?"

" Oh Persephone," he says before pulling me in his lap and caressing my hair, whispering sweet thins that I do not stay awake enough to hear.

I have no idea how much time has passed, but these last few days have been the best of life. I play with the nymphs and talk to the spirits. I laugh freely for once and smile at the souls in the Isles of the Blest. I watch Hades as he works, talking to Death and judging the souls and how different he becomes when we are alone, how caring, sweet and understanding.

However, behind all this glitter and glamor, there is lurking fear of my mother, that she will find me and take me away, lock me up and force those white dresses on me. I think of this as I tend my garden and hear the five rivers of the Underworld sing in the back ground.

A/N- Thanks for everything- all the reviews, favs and follows. I would love to hear some criticism or vurns or appreciation. Tel me what to improve and change and stuff. Love you all.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Winter

I walk around the carven where my maids were putting up my hair, exiting from a door that I have seen Hades use often and one that I have begun to use recently. I sneak out like I have done this thousand of time but have only done twice before. Following the dark paths I enter the throne room from the back, melting within the shadows. I have been watching him recently more and more as he works, since the day he showed me the throne room and my throne. He wants to claim my place as the Queen of the Spirits but I am hesitant. What if I make a mistake? What if I am too soft, like a flower? What if this leads to differences between us?

These thoughts plague me day and night, though it is not really different here. It all so dark. Hades like to joke about

I think of winter must have started in the Upper world as I tend my pomegranates. We gods know a lot about the universe, Apollo might be the god of the sun but the Sun is a hot ball of gases, which can be affected by Apollo and Helios, just like the Earth can be affected by mother, Gaea, me and Artemies. The Sun causes seasons, but my mother never lets winter last too long or be too harsh, she loves her followers. I wonder how she is faring, I know she must be looking for me but I hope she never finds me. My life is perfect and all I wish for is to let it stay the same, but I realize I have to go up soon, to help ease in the spring. Too engrossed in my thoughts I nearly miss the arrival of Hermes, he and Hecate are the only ones who know I am here, as does Apollo but bless them they have not told a soul.

"Lord Hades, Lady Persephone, quick, Demeter is coming, she is getting Zeus, quick, I have to leave," and saying this he disappears in a flash of light. I look at Hades and the pure terror is all I see in his eyes.

As soon as Hermes was gone and rushed over to Hades pressing our lips together but I can sense the urgency. Something about food, underworld food. What can underworld food do? Think Persephone, think. Underworld Food, yes! It makes the one who has taken it stay in the underworld forever. This is it; if only I can get to the garden then I can secure permanent stay here.

I rush towards my garden, Hades behind me. I know he would not approve- he knows and as a matter of fact so do I, that someday I have to return to embrace the spring, it is only winter that I can stay here but come spring and summer my powers will be needed but this all, the world above, the flowers, everything seems so trivial compared to my love for Hades. I never even told him, I want him to make the first move as a submissive lady should. A lady never wants or asks for anything, she just accepts what she is given and completes what is asked off her have always been what she heard the mortals say. Her sisters and aunts along with Lady Athena disagree. I quickly snatch a pomegranate and put a handful of seeds in my mouth before _she _snatches it from me and I give a yell of frustration.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7- Goddess of spring

"What magic have you done upon my daughter?" My mother screeched at Hades, who looked like death itself.

"Mother," I interrupted their fighting, I could see that Father had also given up on stopping mother as she flew into highly un-lady like rants. Accusing Hades of bringing me here against my will to performing magic on me to doing unspeakable things to me.

"Kore, sweetheart, you want to come home right?" she asks sweetly like she used to do when I was younger.

"No, mother, I wish to stay here, it is true that I was brought here against my will but now I have grown to love this place and all it has to offer. So no, I want to stay here." Her face changes from pale to red and purple and to pale again.

"You worthless girl," screaming she throws herself on me. Blow after blow lands on me before I manage to get hold of her hands, with Hades's help. He does not look shocked, appalled or even angry but disgusted.

"Look at the shameless creature, hitting her own mother, with a man twice her age," mother screamed bringing tears of anger too my eyes.

"How dare you? How dare you even speak of me like that? You may be my mother in blood but what have you done for me? Hit me like an animal, even when I have done nothing wrong, I might not bring it up every single day like but that does not make it hurt less, you destroyed me, broke me, and killed me slowly. I miss the girl I used to be, the one you murdered, and the sweet innocent kind girl. You have made a coward out of me. You are just," I screamed at her. It felt good to let it all out but then the guilt kicked in. I never said these things to her except when it was too bad, because it would hurt her. I bite down on my lip to keep from saying more sting stuff like " you are just someone who knows who to get knocked up but have no idea how to be a parent even humans are better than you and you call yourself mother of earth. You can only mother non living things, not humans or even gods."

Tears spring up in her eyes and she begins to walk out saying stuff like "whore" and "never show me your face". Father runs after her, asking her something to which she nods and then he comes back to where Hades and I are.

"Persephone, you will not talk to your mother like that," he lectures and I clamp my mouth shut out of fear before all the anger spills out of me again but he just continues, "And now I will like to talk to an adult and not a child throwing tantrums, if you please."

"Some adult you are, abandoning your daughter at birth," I think but nod anyway.

"Lady Demeter has refused to help in the onset of spring. Seasons will come like they do but without the help f the goddess, they will be weak and evil forces will be able to manipulate them. Spring will come like it does due to the Earth's axis but it will not be as pretty, efficient and rewarding without the goddesses of spring and Earth."

It takes me a moment to settle my mind. He called me by my right title- "Goddess o f spring". Of course my mother would do this. I am the Goddess of Spring, I have to help it. But am I? Am I just the goddess of Spring? I look at Hades to see him already looking at me. So much passed has between us and that made my decision.

"Father, I know what you are trying to tell me. I will accompany you but I refuse to leave Hades and to add to that I have also eaten six pieces of underworld fruit. Thus I say that for six months I stay as the Goddess of Spring and then for the next six as the Queen of Underworld but anyone from both places can visit me anywhere anytime they want and my mother cannot force me to take virginity oaths on River Styx, which I have been successfully escaping for years but I know that if I ever take a sacred promise, I will never break it," I announce to him and Hades. Hades looks at me with a mixture of pride and joy and this thrills me to no end.

"Persephone, then to this agreement, I will hold you, but only if you come with me to Olympus for the next six months now," King Zeus thunders and I meekly nod. I knew this would happen but it still hurts to think of leaving Hades for six months. However, I have to do this, for those human beings who live on Earth and to show my mother that I am worth something. Plus, I am feeling extremely guilty about the things, I have said to her. I have discarded all of the fun moments I had with her, the things she gave, the love and the joy in respect to the bad she did which was wrong of me.

"I think, some part of her actually believed she was doing the right thing," I tell Hades as the servants pack my belongings. He envelopes me in his arms and I sigh, the next six months are going to be horrible, with my mother and new found duties. I just wish they would end already.

Scars

"Kore," my mother calls as she wakes me up for another day and then she begins when I do not respond.

"Oh, I forgot, you are not worthy of that name now, are you?" she taunts as I flare up.

"Oh yes, I am still Kore mother but now that I think about it, I think it is time I should marry Hades," I scream back while packing my stuff. These six months have flown by especially due to Artemies who accepted me as a friend again very soon and helped me become adjust to my duties. My mother's relationship with me as also become better after we had a talk. I still remember every word I said and so does se but we have both agreed to put it behind us. The scars will not go away ever but now they show that I have healed and so has she. Still, there are days, like today.

"Oh, Kore, I am so sorry for what I said," she tells me an hour later.

"Please forgive me too Mother."

"Oh, come on let us doing something fun today, it being your last day and all," she says and I groan thinking of her version of fun, which is eating cereal and cussing other gods when she pulls me out and takes me to the meadow. The setting sun, the flowers and the tranquility are all that we need.

I think of all this that has passed in my life, as I rock my son in my lap and watch my two daughters chase each other. Now I spend more time in Tartarus than before and even though Hades hates it, he still does not stop me. I still flinch when someone raises a hand very fast or screams and I know that I will never treat my children like that but I also know that I will never give up what I have even for the whole world, a loving mother who makes me laugh, smile and sometimes cry, a husband who would go to the ends of the Earth for me, whose icy heart I have managed t melt, three kids and a lovely life.

A strange journey it has been but stranger it will be, not that my mother is warming up to Hades and not screaming and pulling me back or creating a scene every time I come back. The whole kingdom, however, still comes to welcome me back year after year. Hands wrap around my waist and Hades's arms wrap around me "So what did Apollo want with you this time?" he asks smirking.

"Oh, nothing the usual flirting," I reply and watch as his smirk flatters before going up again. Jealously, I could definitely get used to. Hands wrap around my waist and Hades's arms wrap around me. I am home,in them I always am.


	9. Epilouge

Epilogue

Demeter watches as her grandchildren play while her daughter gets in the horse carriage that will take her back to the Underworld. Centuries have passed, the world has changed, the gods have been forgotten, science has taken over and she has finally accepted her son- in- law.

Looking back at Persephone's strange journey her eyes tear up. What she did to Persephone, she now realizes was wrong, she took away her life, desires, joy and gave her the idea of a happy future in return. It was wrong but it also was right.

Zeus watched his daughter go back to her home and smiles. Demeter finally had accepted the truth. Sitting on his throne of lightning, he watched his brothers argue and his eyes swept over to a goddess of wisdom stroking a bird. His eyes stood there and a deep emotion of remorse erupted in his heart. How similar this sight was to the day all this began! He had gotten a daughter and regarded her as total shit as the humans now said, just for some revenge which was not even his to have but she too had found happiness in the end. Maybe, Hera was right, maybe, love does conquer all.


End file.
